Stair Company FAQ: Working with Stumptown Stairs
Answers to what comes up most before a project starts: service area, process, permits, and cost. Each question opens on its own, so jump to whatever's relevant instead of reading the whole page.
General Questions About Stumptown Stairs
What services does Stumptown Stairs offer?
Custom stair design, installation, repair, and replacement, for both residential and commercial properties across the Portland metro. Our stair services in Portland breaks down all seven.
Where is Stumptown Stairs located, and how far do you travel?
Stumptown Stairs works out of a shop in the Portland metro and generally travels within about 50 miles of it. Projects farther out, including the Willamette Valley and the Oregon Coast, get taken on selectively rather than as standard coverage.
How can I contact Stumptown Stairs?
Call (503) 830-1903, send an email, or use the contact form for general questions.
Questions About Our Stair Services
Do you design custom stairs based on our specific needs?
Every project starts with a design consultation built around your space, not a catalog design dropped into it. Custom staircase design & build walks through how that process works.
What types of properties do you work on?
Both residential and commercial properties fall within scope, from a single-family staircase replacement to a multi-flight commercial build.
Can you repair existing stairs, or only build new ones?
Both. Existing stairs get fixed through stair repair, and a staircase that's beyond fixing gets a full stair replacement instead.
Do you install railings, including cable railing?
Wood, welded steel, and cable railings are all fabricated and installed in-house. Stair railing installation covers the material options and process in full.
Will you install a staircase or components fabricated by someone else?
Yes, both a full staircase and individual components someone else built. In-house fabrication start to finish is still how we prefer to work, but we install what's already been built when that's the project. Bring it up at your site visit if part of your project involves stairs or parts built elsewhere.
Do you offer 3D renderings or design previews before building?
Sometimes. Design previews vary by project: sketches, material samples, or a 3D model for complex geometries. A rendering takes real time to build, so when a project calls for one, it's billed as a drawing rather than thrown in free. Ask what applies to yours during your site visit.
Questions About Our Stair Process
How does the design/quote process work?
A conversation first, then a paid in-person site visit for measurements and a structural assessment, then a detailed quote, then the build. The fee charged for that site visit is what makes the quote that follows a firm number instead of a guess.
What materials do you work with?
Wood and welded steel, both fabricated in the same shop rather than split between two contractors. The dual-trade story is on about Dave.
How long does a typical project take?
Timeline depends on project complexity and permitting, and there's no single number that applies across every job. Your site visit is where a real timeline gets discussed.
Do you handle permits and code compliance?
Permits and code compliance are part of every project we take on, across Oregon and the local jurisdictions inside our service area. Our Oregon stair code guide has the residential requirements specifically.
How quickly can you respond to an urgent repair?
A loose handrail or a broken tread that's an active safety concern gets flagged ahead of routine scheduling when you call. Urgent repairs that need to jump the queue carry emergency pricing: $200 an hour.
What's your typical turnaround for a commercial stair project?
Turnaround depends on project scale and whether it's prefabricated or fully custom fabrication. Current scope tops out at projects under $250,000, in buildings up to four stories or 10,000 square feet; ask for a timeline specific to your project during the bid or site visit.
Questions About Stair Project Costs
How much does a custom stair project cost?
Cost depends on materials, complexity, and size, with no flat rate that applies across projects. Run the stair cost calculator for a ballpark range, or the staircase cost guide walks through the full breakdown; treat either number as an estimate, not a final quote.
Why is there a fee for the initial site visit?
A real quote requires seeing the staircase in person: measurements, structural condition, and scope, not a guess made over the phone. The fee protects the accuracy of your number and Dave's limited time as a one-person shop. If you just want a free ballpark first, a FaceTime call or texted photos will get you a rough range before you commit to the paid visit.
Do you offer financing?
Not currently. Financing options are planned but not yet available; ask when you request your quote for the latest on timing.
Still not sure? The stair glossary covers terminology, or reach out directly with anything else.